The Minister for Social Protection, and candidate for the leadership of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar, has drawn criticism from trade unions, political opponents and commentators over his remarks last week concerning industrial disputes.
At a press briefing on his policies last Monday (22nd May), Mr Varadkar said he would introduce legislation banning public sector workers from striking in essential services if elected Taoiseach. He said this would only apply where a legally binding Labour Court recommendation had been made.
Mr Varadkar mentioned air traffic control and Luas services as examples of services that could be precluded from strike action under his proposals.
His comments drew criticism from a number of trade unions. Responding to reporters as public sector pay talks got underway last week, IMPACT’s head of communications Bernard Harbor described the pledge as ‘disproportionate’ given the relatively few days lost through industrial action, and unions’ responsible provision of emergency and essential cover on the rare occasions that strikes do occur.
“Our economic recovery was aided by responsible trade unions collectively bargaining with employers to ensure our public services weathered the worst economic storm in the history of the state. Any legislative attempt to shut that down would be disproportionate and ultimately damaging to good industrial relations practice,” he said.
He noted that, in the context of a threatened strike by ESB workers in 2013, then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said the right to strike was a “pretty basic human right in most democracies.” (Industrial Relations News, November 2013).
Congress general secretary Patricia King said Ireland has a voluntarist system of industrial relations that has served us well. “This proposal would bring that to an end. It would introduce an entirely new and negative dynamic to industrial relations and would represent a significant backward step.
“Given that the right to strike is so fundamental to democratic societies and is recognised as such at an international level, any attack on that could well see Ireland in breach of a range of international obligations and treaties governing such freedoms,” she said.
Responsible
Helen Sheridan of IMPACT’s Air Traffic Controllers’ branch wrote directly to Mr Varadkar in her capacity as general secretary of the Irish Air Traffic Controllers Association (IATCA). Helen criticised the minister for “singling out a responsible employee grouping with a history of engaging with the industrial relations mechanisms of the state.”
Helen said the ATC branch had voted in favour of an internal disputes resolution board in 2015 which is now in place in the Irish Aviation Authority. Helen added “This model is being held up as a showcase across European air navigation service providers.”
Helen added that strong unions that engage positively with employers are good for employment stability and growth. “This is the policy you should be advocating, not seeking to undermine workers' rights,” she said.
